Before my Window
- Poetry of Li Qingzhao

《添字丑奴儿·窗前谁种芭蕉树》
Before my Window by Li Qingzhao
中文原文( Chinese )

窗前种得芭蕉树，阴满中庭。

阴满中庭，叶叶心心，舒卷有余情。

伤心枕上三更雨，点滴凄清。

点滴凄清，愁损离人，不惯起来听。

English Translation

Before my window,

day in, day out, a dreamy shadow

dominates my patio --

the banana tree,

most reluctantly,

unfolding her tender leaves.


Awaked midnight by the drippings,

my pillow of sorrow hears the rain,

like a story of melancholy

in endless weeping.

A wanderer's heart breaks,

unable to bear such listening.

- to the Tune of Tianzicaisangzi

This ci was written in a season of profound homesickness, sometime after 1127, a time of turmoil when Northern Song just came to an end after the fall of the capital. The Royal Court moved south，opening a new page, the Southern Song dynasty.

- Last updated: 2024-12-05 21:20:27
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Why Chinese poems is so special?
The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
How to read a Chinese poem?
Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.

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